On this week’s episode of the Super Awesome Science Show, we attempt to find out why a good night’s sleep can be hard to achieve. To listen along while you read, head on over to the SASS site and click the play button.

We take a fantastic exploration into the brain and how a small little piece known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (or SCN) is the regulator of the entire process. We also get into how our sleep patterns can be disturbed by various exposures in our daily lives.

But best of all, Dr. Antle also works in psychology and helps us to understand how we might be able to improve our ability to get that good night’s sleep. Without giving too much away, the answer may be less of this…

(Unless you’re in an Empire State of Mind…)

and more of this…

(It’s OMazing…)

Next, we learn of a possibly better way to get those forty winks. It’s officially known as bibliotherapy but we tend to call it…

(Bedtime Stories…)

It may be hard to believe but research has revealed that reading can help us get to sleep as well as if not better than some pills. You get to sleep faster and the quality of that sleep is better.

But there’s something even better than reading by yourself. It’s having someone read a story to you. And that’s where our next guest comes in…

(Kathryn Nicolai)

She is the host of a podcast called “Nothing Much Happens.” People tune in to her and listen to a bedtime story designed for adults. Her goal is to help you fall asleep to her podcast. Which is an interesting ambition considering most of us out in the podcast world are hoping not to see this…

(Remember those ear muffs?)

Speaking of sleeping children, our SASS Class happens to focus on of all things…

(Schools…)

Our guest teacher for the class has been studying the effects of sleep – or lack thereof on kid’s health including their ability to think and also their weight. She is…

(Dr. Genviève Gariépy)

As you’ll hear, her work has shown that the timing of the opening bell has a significant effect on kids. In essence, starting school later might actually be good for them. While you might think this isn’t a great idea, a story emerged recently that showed she is indeed right. You can read the study here: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/12/eaau6200.

I hope you enjoy this episode of the Super Awesome Science Show. If you do, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

Also, if you happen to have a podcast, can you head over to the Canadian Podcast Awards website and give our little show a boost by voting for us here…

If you have a question, comment or idea for the show, let me know in the comments below or by sending me an Email at: thegermguy@gmail.com. I’ve already heard from a number of people and their contributions are indeed awesome.